Temperature Measurements Using In Thermocouple In The Mocvd Rotating Disk Reactors

Abstract

Rotating Disk Reactors used for Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition have evolved into a leading manufacturing technology for several materials, including nitrides, compound semiconductors, metals, and oxides. One of the major issues to be resolved in bringing this technology into routine high yield manufacturing has been precise and repeatable wafer temperature measurement and control. The conventional approach to the rotating wafer temperature measurements by a stationary thermocouple located near the rotating wafer carrier suffers from low accuracy and repeatability. We have implemented a rotating thermocouple with a junction located close to the wafer for the temperature measurements in the MOCVD Rotating Disk Reactor. This approach allowed us to obtain reliable and accurate wafer temperature measurements with minimum dependence upon variable process parameters and to protect the thermocouple from degradation in the aggressive reactor environment. The temperature difference between wafer and thermocouple for the rotating and stationary thermocouple designs as a function of process parameters will be discussed.